First there was the Matt Damon film The Martin and then, with suspiciously good timing NASA announced it had found the best evidence yet that water still flows on the red planet's normally cold and dry surface.

With all the extra attention the conversation about a manned mission to Mars has taken off yet again.

NASA recently outlined its plans to get to Mars, announcing a road map of proposed expeditions that culminates with boots on the Martian surfaces at some point in the mid to late 2030's.

HI-SEAS uses a simulated Mars habitat on the barren slopes of Hawaii's Mauna Loa volcano to study how crews might react to the psychological pressures of a round trip journey through space likely to last more than three years.

For some, such as privately funded organisation behind Mars One, NASA's 2030's timeline is just too long to wait.

The group is hoping to launch their own manned mission as early as 2026 but, with one crucial catch: it's a one way trip and anyone who goes will have to say goodbye to earth forever.

Despite the obvious dangers and drawbacks of such a mission, for some people travelling to Mars is merely the next step in humanity's journey and part of long history of exploration.

For the people willing to risk their lives so humanity can continue its first steps towards the stars heading to Mars is something we need to do.